NameCensus.

UK surname

Mcnay

A habitational surname derived from the lands of MacNay in Scotland.

In the 1881 census there were 199 people recorded with the Mcnay surname, ranking it #12,880 among surnames in the records. By 2016, the modern count was 339, ranked #13,492, down from #12,880 in 1881.

The strongest historical links point to Wolverhampton, Morton and Borrowstounness and Carriden. In the modern distribution records, the strongest local clusters include Mid Nithsdale, Shawhead and Sunderland.

Across the surname records, the highest recorded count for Mcnay is 346 in 1999. Compared with 1881, the name has grown by 70.4%.

1881 census count

199

Ranked #12,880

Modern count

339

2016, ranked #13,492

Peak year

1999

346 bearers

Map years

9

1851 to 2016

Key insights

  • Mcnay had 199 recorded bearers in 1881, making it the #12,880 surname in that year.
  • The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016, ranked #13,492.
  • Within the historical census years, the highest count was 252 in 1901.
  • The contemporary neighbourhood profile most associated with the surname is Established but Challenged.

Mcnay surname distribution map

The map shows where the Mcnay surname is concentrated in each census or modern distribution year. Darker areas mean a stronger local concentration.

Distribution map

Mcnay surname density by area, 1881 census.

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Lower densityMedium densityHigh density

Timeline

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Mcnay over time

The table below tracks recorded surname counts and rank from the 19th-century census years through the modern adult-register period.

Year Period Count Rank
1851 historical 137 #13,812
1861 historical 147 #15,539
1881 historical 199 #12,880
1891 historical 201 #14,866
1901 historical 252 #13,068
1911 historical 125 #19,932
1997 modern 321 #12,941
1998 modern 337 #12,859
1999 modern 346 #12,726
2000 modern 346 #12,670
2001 modern 337 #12,702
2002 modern 345 #12,754
2003 modern 334 #12,847
2004 modern 318 #13,374
2005 modern 316 #13,351
2006 modern 310 #13,603
2007 modern 311 #13,703
2008 modern 312 #13,764
2009 modern 312 #14,040
2010 modern 328 #13,856
2011 modern 333 #13,577
2012 modern 330 #13,571
2013 modern 338 #13,508
2014 modern 344 #13,426
2015 modern 346 #13,284
2016 modern 339 #13,492

Geography

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Where Mcnays are most common

Historical parish links are strongest around Wolverhampton, Morton, Borrowstounness and Carriden, Manchester and Kirkmahoe. These are the places where the surname stands out most clearly in the older records.

The modern local-area list points to Mid Nithsdale, Shawhead, Sunderland and Cheshire West and Chester. Treat these as concentration signals, not proof that every family line began there.

Some modern areas include a three-digit suffix, such as Leeds 110. The suffix is a small-area code, so it stays in the table while the prose uses the plain place name.

Top historical parishes

Rank Parish Area
1 Wolverhampton Staffordshire
2 Morton Dumfries
3 Borrowstounness and Carriden Linlithgow
4 Manchester Lancashire
5 Kirkmahoe Dumfries

Top modern areas

Rank Area District
1 Mid Nithsdale Dumfries and Galloway
2 Shawhead Dumfries and Galloway
3 Sunderland 031 Sunderland
4 Cheshire West and Chester 007 Cheshire West and Chester
5 Cheshire West and Chester 011 Cheshire West and Chester

Forenames

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First names often paired with Mcnay

These lists show first names that appear often with the Mcnay surname in historical and recent records.

Modern profile

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Neighbourhood profile for Mcnay

Modern surname records can be compared with neighbourhood classifications. For Mcnay, this points to the kinds of places where the surname is most concentrated today.

These neighbourhood labels describe areas, not individual people. They are useful because surnames often cluster through family history, migration, housing patterns and local work. A surname can be strongest in one type of neighbourhood even when people with that name live across the country.

The UK classification gives the national picture. The London classification is more specific to the capital, where housing, age profile, tenure and population mix can look quite different from the rest of the UK.

UK neighbourhood type

UK Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce

Group

Established but Challenged

Nationally, the Mcnay surname is most associated with neighbourhoods classed as Established but Challenged, within Semi- and Un-Skilled Workforce. This does not mean every Mcnay household fits that profile, but it gives a useful signal about where the modern surname distribution is strongest.

Read profile summary

Group profile

Many households in these neighbourhoods comprise separated or divorced single parents with dependent children. Residents are typically born in the UK, and these neighbourhoods have relatively few members of ethnic minorities. The prevalence of children, their parents and those at or above normal retirement age, suggests neighbourhood structures may be long-established. Levels of unpaid care are high, and long-term disability is more common than in the Supergroup as a whole. Use of the social rented sector is common, often in terraced houses. Levels of overcrowding are above the Supergroup average. Unemployment is high, while those in work are employed in elementary occupations such as caring, leisure and customer services. Many residents have low level qualifications. Neighbourhood concentrations of this Group are found in the South Wales Valleys, Belfast, Londonderry and the Central Lowlands of Scotland.

Wider pattern

Living in terraced or semi-detached houses, residents of these neighbourhoods typically lack high levels of education and work in elementary or routine service occupations. Unemployment is above average. Residents are predominantly born in the UK, and residents are also predominantly from ethnic minorities. Social (but not private sector) rented sector housing is common. This Supergroup is found throughout the UK’s conurbations and industrial regions but is also an integral part of smaller towns.

London neighbourhood type

London Output Area Classification

Supergroup

Suburban Asian Communities

Group

Settled Semi-Detached Asians

Within London, Mcnay is most associated with areas classed as Settled Semi-Detached Asians, part of Suburban Asian Communities. This gives the surname a London-specific profile rather than forcing the capital into the same pattern as the rest of the country.

Read profile summary

Group profile

These residents share Supergroup characteristics of large (non-Chinese) Asian populations but those identifying as Bangladeshi are notably absent. Many residents were born in the UK, while other more recent migrants have African birthplaces. Semi-detached housing, much of it owner occupied, prevails in these suburban residential locations.

Wider London pattern

Many residents of these neighbourhoods are of (non-Chinese) Asian descent, with many identifying as Indian, Pakistani or Bangladeshi. Neighbourhoods are located across large areas of suburban west, north-east and south London. Detached, semi-detached and terraced houses are more prevalent than flats and socially rented housing is uncommon. Few residents live in communal establishments. Many families have dependent children, sometimes in overcrowded accommodation, and few households are ethnically mixed. Marriage rates are above the London average. The even age distribution, relative absence of individuals living alone and frequent incidence of households with children suggests that multi-generation households may be relatively common. Employment is often in skilled trades, elementary, sales and customer service occupations, and roles as process, plant, and machine operatives. Manufacturing and construction are well represented, along with employment in distribution, hotels, and restaurants. Many adults have only level 1, 2, or apprenticeship qualifications. English is not used at home by some residents. Religious affiliation is above average.

Healthy neighbourhoods

Access to healthy assets and hazards

Mcnay is most concentrated in decile 1 for access to healthy assets and hazards. This places the surname towards the less healthy end of the index.

Lower deciles point towards weaker access to healthy assets or stronger exposure to local hazards. Higher deciles point towards stronger access and fewer hazards.

1
Lower access Higher access

Neighbourhood deprivation

Index of Multiple Deprivation

Mcnay falls in decile 6 for neighbourhood deprivation. This puts the surname near the middle of the scale.

Decile 1 represents the more deprived end of the scale. Decile 10 represents the less deprived end.

6
More deprived Less deprived

Broadband speed

Fixed broadband download speed

The modern neighbourhood pattern for Mcnay is most associated with a typical fixed broadband download band of 30-40 mbit/s.

The scale below places that band in context, from slower local download bands through to faster ones.

6
Slower band Faster band

Area snapshot

Ethnic group estimate

Most common ethnic group estimate
White - British

This describes the area pattern most associated with Mcnay, not the ethnicity of every person with the surname.

Meaning and origin of Mcnay

The surname McNay originates from Scotland and traces its roots back to the 16th century. It is believed to have derived from the Gaelic word "naoi," meaning "nine," potentially indicating a connection to a family's position as the ninth in a particular area or community.

One of the earliest recorded instances of the McNay name appears in the Scottish parish registers of Kirkintilloch, near Glasgow, in the late 1600s. These records document the presence of families bearing this surname in the region during that time period.

In the 18th century, the McNay name appeared in various Scottish records, including the Old Parochial Registers of Falkirk and Stirlingshire. These registers provide valuable insights into the lives and activities of individuals with this surname in those areas.

Notable individuals with the McNay surname include John McNay (1799-1879), a Scottish-born merchant and businessman who emigrated to Canada and became a prominent figure in the development of the city of Hamilton, Ontario. Another notable figure is William McNay (1837-1904), a Scottish-born architect who designed several notable buildings in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

In the 19th century, the McNay name gained recognition through the work of Robert McNay (1810-1877), a Scottish educator and author who wrote several influential works on education and teaching methods. His contributions to the field of education during the Victorian era were significant.

Another individual of note is James McNay (1823-1897), a Scottish-born businessman and philanthropist who made his fortune in the textile industry. He was known for his philanthropic efforts, including the establishment of the McNay Art Museum in San Antonio, Texas, which bears his name.

While the McNay surname has Scottish origins, it has since spread to various parts of the world, particularly through emigration and migration patterns over the centuries. However, its roots and earliest recorded instances can be traced back to the Scottish Lowlands and the surrounding regions in the 16th and 17th centuries.

Sourced from namecensus.com.

1881 census detail

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Mcnay families in the 1881 census

These tables use 1881 census entries for people recorded with the Mcnay surname. Use the location tables for concentration, then the name and occupation tables for the people behind the surname.

Top counties

Total is the county count. Frequency and index adjust for local population size, so they are better concentration signals. Lancashire leads with 6 Mcnays recorded in 1881 and an index of 5.77x.

County Total Index
Lancashire 6 5.77x
Durham 3 11.51x

Top districts and towns

Districts give a more local view than counties. Total shows raw records, while frequency and index show local concentration. Salford in Lancashire leads with 6 Mcnays recorded in 1881 and an index of 196.08x.

Place Total Index
Salford 6 196.08x
Brandon Byshottles 3 909.09x

Top female names

These are the female first names most often recorded with the Mcnay surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
Mary 3
Alice 1
Sarah 1

Top male names

These are the male first names most often recorded with the Mcnay surname in 1881. Names are not merged, so initials, variant spellings and transcription quirks can appear as separate rows.

Name Count
William 2
Andrew 1
Edward 1

Top occupations

Occupational titles are kept as recorded and later transcribed, so related jobs, spelling variants and mistakes stay separate. Scholar was the census term for a child in education. That means the other rows often tell you more about adult work in Mcnay households.

FAQ

Mcnay surname: questions and answers

How common was the Mcnay surname in 1881?

In 1881, 199 people were recorded with the Mcnay surname. That placed it at #12,880 in the surname rankings for that year.

How common is the Mcnay surname today?

The latest modern count shown here is 339 in 2016. That gives Mcnay a modern rank of #13,492.

What does the Mcnay surname mean?

A habitational surname derived from the lands of MacNay in Scotland.

What does the Mcnay map show?

The map shows local surname concentration for the selected year. Darker areas have a stronger concentration of Mcnay bearers relative to the surrounding population.

What records is this surname page based on?

The historical counts come from census surname records. The modern counts and neighbourhood summaries come from later surname distribution records. Counts are recorded bearers in those records, not a live estimate of everyone with the name today.